Business Summit emphasizes sustainability, AI, and digitalization as catalysts for global growth.
[Left] Event Co-Chairs Dr. John McIntyre (2nd from left) and Ani Agnihotri (far right) with participants
The USA-India Business Summit and Georgia Tech Global Business Forum hosted a high-impact seminar on Sustainability, AI & Digitalization: Global Drivers of Growth. It brought together thought leaders, industry experts, and policymakers to discuss the evolving role of technology in shaping the future of global business. Held at GA Tech on the 12th and virtually on the 13th of February, the seminar focused on critical themes, including the future of sustainability and the challenges of the workforce in the sectors of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG). The AI era, data-driven enterprise growth, and cybersecurity best practices for competitive advantage were the focus points.
[Right] Dr. Sandra Jordan (3rd from left) was awarded “Friend of UIBS” Award.
Additionally, it highlighted India’s technological skills and the application of AI and IoT (the Internet of Things) in manufacturing, showcasing how innovation and digital transformation are key to driving sustainable economic growth. “This summit highlighted how businesses can integrate sustainability, AI, and digitalization to enhance efficiency, innovation, and growth,” event Co-Chair, Ani Agnihotri, UIBS said. “By bringing together thought leaders and professionals, we aim to foster meaningful conversations and actionable strategies for the future.”
Speakers included Hon. L. Ramesh Babu, Consul General of India; Dev Ahuja, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Novelis Inc3; Vish M. Narendra, Sr. VP and CIO, Graphic Packaging International; Bala Subramanian, EVP & Chief Digital and Technology Officer, UPS; Paul Frederickson, Sr. Vice-President, Georgia-Pacific Operations Technology Solution Group, Georgia-Pacific; Hon. Lisa Cupid, Chairwoman, Cobb County Board of Commissioners; Hon. Urs Brönnimann, Consul General of Switzerland; Anant R Adya, Executive Vice-President and Head Cloud, Infrastructure and Security Services (CIS) for Americas and APAC, Infosys; Ravi Venkatesan, CEO & Board of Director, Cantaloupe Inc.; Stan Sthanunathan, CEO, i-Genie. ai; and Lakshamanan Chidambaram, President and Head of Americas Leadership Council, Tech Mahindra and the Americas Head, Mahindra Group.
[Left] Lakshamanan Chidambaram, President and Head of Americas, Tech Mahindra & Mahindra Group.
“The key challenge is one of continuous growth in the midst of constant change. This conference addressed these paradoxical dimensions,” event Co- Chair, Dr. John R. McIntyre, Scheller College of Business, Georgia Tech, said.
Hon. Consul General of India in Atlanta, Ramesh Babu Lakshmanan, highlighted the strong trade relationship between the US and India, with the total trade value of goods and services currently at $200 billion and projected to reach $500 billion by 2030. He emphasized that key growth drivers in the coming years will include Digital Transformation, AI, Quantum Computing, Clean Energy, and Defense Technology.
[Right] Bala Subramanian, EVP & Chief Digital and Technology Officer, UPS
Lakshmanan Chidambaram, President, Tech Mahindra and Head, Mahindra Group Americas who participated in the Summit for the first time, said, quoting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi from the Artificial Intelligent (AI) Action Summit, Paris (held on February 11, 2025), “AI can help transform millions of lives by improving health, education, agriculture and so much more. It can help create a world in which the journey to Sustainable Development Goals becomes easier and faster.”
Dev Ahuja, EVP and CFO, Novelis Inc, said, “Our annual revenues are 16.2 billion, our annual adjusted EBITDA is of the order of 1.9 billion. We recycle 2.3 million tons of aluminum, which is around 63 percent of our total shipments.” Novelis, a global leader in aluminum production and recycling, focuses on sustainability through its high-recycled-content products and circular economy initiatives. Aluminum, known for its infinite recyclability without quality loss, saves up to 95% of energy when recycled compared to primary production. The company operates 32 facilities across four continents, employing over 13,000 people. Novelis has set ambitious sustainability targets, including carbon neutrality by 2050 and a 30 percent CO2 reduction by 2026 (from a 2016 baseline). Investments in renewable energy, such as solar power and alternative fuels, support its sustainability goals. Novelis is expanding its recycling infrastructure, including new plants in Kentucky, Korea, and a $4.1 billion facility in Alabama.
[Left] Dev Ahuja, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Novelis Inc
“We actually transport 6 percent of the U.S. GDP and 2 percent of world GDP every single day. If UPS doesn’t work for five days, that’s considered a recession because 30 percent of GDP doesn’t move. And we are in 220 countries. We actually have over half a million people at any given, we are the seventh largest airline. At any given time, we have at least 50 to 100 flights that’s still on the air. So the scale of us is very, very large,” Bala Subramanian, EVP & Chief Digital and Technology Officer, UPS said. He also talked about UPS India Technology Center in Chennai, India which employs about a thousand people and is continuing to grow. Company’s approach, he noted, is not about low costs in India but to identify and work where the talent is. Similarly, UPS has development centers in Europe and in the US and that is how they achieve successful transportation.
Subramanian discussed UPS’s strategic focus on technology, AI, and global logistics, emphasizing adaptability and continuous improvement. He highlighted UPS’s investments, including a technology center in I Chennai, India, and its role in global trade, handling significant portions of the U.S. and world GDP. AI plays a crucial role in optimizing delivery routes, automating processes, and enhancing efficiency, effectiveness, and innovation. UPS leverages advanced logistics for healthcare, including vaccine transportation and time-sensitive medical deliveries. He stressed the importance of balancing quick efficiency gains with long-term innovation and ensuring technology investments align with business value. He noted that UPS also explores emerging technologies like drone deliveries and VR training while maintaining strong customer-centric strategies. The discussion concluded with an appreciation for collaboration with academic institutions, reinforcing the importance of shared learning and innovation.
[Right] Hon. L. Ramesh Babu, Consul General of India
Roshan Shah, Vice President - AI & Products, Georgia-Pacific LLC, underscored Georgia- Pacific’s integration of AI, automation, and technology since 2018 to enhance manufacturing, accentuating strong ties with Georgia Tech support recruitment and innovation. The company, he said, operates 140 connected facilities and has expanded AI-driven processes to Guardian Glass. To address workforce experience loss, AI aids decision-making and efficiency. With 800 autonomous vehicles and proprietary Digital Mezzanine technology, Georgia-Pacific enhances predictive maintenance and process control. The initiative has grown from four to 150 employees, showcasing industry leadership and value creation.
Business immigration updates provided insights into talent mobility, while AI governance systems in the US, EU, and China were compared for regulatory advancements. Sustainability leadership, particularly through Novelis, illustrated corporate commitment to responsible growth. The forum also debated the merits of LLMs versus Specialized Domain Models (SDMs) for competitive advantage, stressing innovation in generative AI while balancing sustainability. The discussions collectively emphasized that AI, digitalization, and strategic technology transformation are key drivers of economic growth and global competitiveness.
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